The Fireworks Incident
by Gweniveve Skyes
Summary: New Year's Eve is a fun time to party, light fireworks, etc. But for the Yu-Gi-Oh gang, it's best to not let Joey get the fireworks, one might break a couple of city ordinances in the process of celebrating said holiday...


The Fireworks Incident

Heh, funny story about this one, but then again, all my humor shots have funny stories about their creation. . . this one's no different.

It's safe to say that this one has two sources of inspiration. The first one was at a Near Year's eve party when I was about ten. I was at a party across the street from my house. During the party, two of the guys there decided to end up with a Roman Candle war (looking back on it now, I suspect they were drunk), so, they ran up and down the street, aiming roman candles at each other, the fireworks going off. Entertaining?: yes. A smart idea?: not particularly

The second source comes from a couple of lines in one of my upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh fic, 'Consumed By Fire', which goes like this:

'Mai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'fireworks incident'?"

"Heh, heh," Joey chuckled sheepishly, running his hands through his hair. "Well, long story short, did you know that certain fireworks can't be lit within city limits?" Tristan, Yugi and Duke look around, trying very hard to not look suspicious.'

So yeah, I just had to write out the 'fireworks incident', so here it is

Warning: some of the characters, mostly Tea, might be a smidgen OOC, just so you know

New Year's Eve was a wild holiday in Domino City. TVs were blaring various countdown shows filled with stars—washed up and/or new-, and lame pop songs, champagne was everywhere and drunkards roamed the streets, wishing everyone a slurred 'Happy New Years'. But one popular tradition couldn't be celebrated within city limits and that was the wonderful tradition of lighting fireworks.

But did that one little obstacle known as a city ordinance stop our favorite blond duelist from getting his hands on some, shall we say, illegal fireworks?

Nope, much to Tea's disappointment.

"Joey, Are you sure about this?" Tea asked. Yugi, Duke, Tristan, Joey and she were standing in the parking lot of Joey's apartment complex, hovering around a pile of fireworks big enough to explode a small factory.

Joey gave a devilish grin. "Ah don't be such a sissy Tea. It's New Year's Eve. Ya can't celebrate it by sitting around the tube _watching _fireworks. Ya got to experience it. Besides, the landlord's probably completely plastered somewhere. He won't notice a thing."

"Come on Tea, it'll be fun," Yugi insisted; since when was he on Joey's side of the argument? He reached into a small box and handed her a sparkler. "Here, start off with this one. It's safe."

"As long as you're not wearing polyester," Duke joked.

"Or have excessive hair gel," Joey shot back, looking pointedly at Duke

Tea smacked Duke on the back of the head. "Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"You might not wanna answer that one," Tristan whispered.

"It's time to get the party started," Joey crowed, holding up a lighter.

They had some fun with the sparklers, trying to spell their names with them, acting like kids again, well, Joey and Tristan were trying to spell words that would be deemed inappropriate to display here, which earned them a smack from Tea and a scolding.

"Now it is time for the next stage," Joey handed off the lighter to Tea and gestured to one of the cone fireworks. "You, may light the first one."

"Dude, maybe giving Tea the lighter was a bad idea," Tristan watched as Tea inched towards the firework and tentatively lit it. As sparks went off from the top, she gave a squeak of surprise and jumped back.

Joey let out a laugh. "It's just a little firework Tea, have you ever lit one before?"

She shook her head. "We never got to do fireworks where we live."

"So this is your first time then?"

Duke snickered. "That sounded totally wrong."

"Oh, sorry about that Tea. Didn't know."

"That's fine. It actually wasn't too bad actually."

"Does anyone realize how dirty this conversation sounds?" Duke wondered.

"Oh, can it Duke," Tea and Joey both growled.

Then Yugi had an idea. "Hey, can we let the Pharaoh light a firework? I bet he's never seen one before."

"Hey, that's a cool idea Yug'. Let's let him have a shot."

Yugi peered down at the Millennium Puzzle. _"Hey Pharaoh."_

_ "What is it Yugi?" _The Pharaoh sounded a little sleepy.

_"Wanna light a firework?" _

_ "A...firework?"_

_ "Yeah, it's a holiday tradition we have. It's a lot a fun. It's this thing when you light up this cardboard thing and then sparks of all these different colors shoot out of it."_

_ "Sounds intriguing."_

_ "Do you want to try it?"_

_ "I don't see why not."_

The Millennium Puzzle glowed and the Pharaoh appeared, looking slightly befuddled at the scene before him. He was even more confused when Joey took the lighter from Tea and thrust it in the Pharaoh's hand. He was then shoved towards a firework, another one of the cone ones, waiting for him.

"Okay, see that thing over there?" Joey pointed at the top of the firework. "You light that thing over there with that," he gestured to the lighter. "Then run from it ASAP."

"That sounds slightly dangerous."

"But tons of fun." Joey gave him another shove. "Go on, try it!"

The Pharaoh stared at the lighter, then at the firework. He gave a shrug and then lit the thing. He ran from it as the sparks started to pour out, peering out from behind Tristan (though if you ask him if he hid, he will vehemently deny it).

After the sparks faded, the Pharaoh said. "That was actually a lot of fun. Can I do it again?"

"Oh goodie, our Pharaoh is a secret pyromaniac." Tristan muttered.

An hour of two passed and they quickly diminished their stockpile of fireworks, until they were down to a firework that looked like it belonged in a military arsenal. Joey patted it lovingly. "This here is 'Big Bertha', the finale to our New Year's partay. This is the icing on the cake, the cream of the crop, the-"

"We get it Joey!" they shouted at him.

"Fine, fine, sheesh, I was only trying to sound dramatic." He pried the lighter from the Pharaoh/ Yugi's hands (he had lost track of who was who since they switched so many times during the night. Apparently the Pharaoh likes fireworks). "Stand back peoples for this will start off our new year with a bang."

"Oh goodie," Tea murmured. She was still wary about Joey playing with fireworks in the middle of the parking lot, but it seemed that Joey's prediction had come true.

He dramatically lit the cord that fed into the firework. The small flame traveled into the firework, but nothing happened.

"Looks like 'Big Bertha' was a 'big dud'," Duke remarked.

"Hey! That guy jipped me!" Joey yelled, upset.

"Um guys, is it supposed to do that?" Yugi asked, pointing at the firework, which had started to glow.

"I,... don't think so." Joey said. Smaller rockets started to launch out of the bigger firework in random directions. "Run!"

"The group of five ran from 'Big Bertha', hiding behind a beige car, each of them peering out from behind the car; Yugi was on his tiptoes however, since he was quite short.

"I think its burrowing into the ground." Tristan commented.

"I think it is too ," Joey narrowly dodged a AWOL firework.

The firework finally fizzled out after what seemed like eternity, but since that thing had nearly caused bodily harm, they hid behind the car for at least another ten minutes.

"When this is over, I'm going to kill you," Tea growled.

They went over to the dead firework, which had left soot and burn marks in the pavement. It turns out it did leave a small crater in the parking lot.

Joey grinned. Despite being injured by a firework that is probably illegal in multiple states, he did have to admit he did a pretty good job. "Well, you do have to admit, it was the best New Year's Eve ever—Ow! Jeez Tea! I thought you were only kidding! Ow!"

Ta-Dah! I love random plot bunnies, they just have sucky hours.

Now press that little button that says review, um-kay! Good, I'm glad we have an understanding.


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